Four player chess game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game of chess for four players has two sets of chessmen each of which is divided into two half-sets with the four half-sets having different colors thereon, one half-set consisting of a king, a bishop, a knight, a rook, and four pawns, and the other half-set consisting of a queen, a bishop, a knight, a rook, and four pawns. The game is played on a conventional chessboard and each player controls a half-set with the two players having the half-sets of one chess set forming a team. There is also disclosed a checker game consisting of a conventional checker board and four sets of checkers, the sets being of different colors and each consisting of six checkers.

[ FOUR PLAYER CHESS GAME APPARATUS 1451 Aug. 13, 1974 PrimaryExaminer-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney, Agent, or FirmEdmund M. Jaskiewicz[76] Inventor: Ronald Ray Lucero, 1307 Monterey Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.92801 22 Filed: Feb. 8, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT 21 A N z 330 676 A game ofchess for four players has two sets of chess- 1 pp 0 men each of whichis divided into two half-sets with the four half-sets having differentcolors thereon, one [52] US. Cl 273/131 KC h lfl t isting of a king, abishop, a knight, a rock, [5 Cland four pawns and the other half setconsisting of a Fleld of Search queen a bishop a knight a rook and fourpawns The game is played on a conventional chessboard and eachReferences Clted player controls a half-set with the two players havingUNITED STATES PATENTS the half-sets of one chess set forming a team.There is 801,903 10 1905 Paxton 273/131 K also disclosed a Checker gameConsisting of a Conven- 2,066,244 12/1936 Bates 273/131 K tio a c eckeboard and o sets of checkers, e sets being of different colors and eachconsisting of six FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS checkers 433,0819/1967 Switzerland 273/131 K 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures lllmlllnlll Vill FOUR PLAYER CHESS GAME APPARATUS The present invention relates to agame played on a game board, more particularly, to a game of chess forfour players.

The game of chess has been played for centuries and has retained itspopularity for this time. While considered by many to be a veryfascinating and interesting game it calls for great mental effort whenplayed well. Further, long study is generally required to attain anydegree of proficiency in this game. The mental effort required to playthe game well demands great concentration during playing of the game.The game of chess is therefore not considered to be particularlyentertaining but is of considerable interest to those few persons whohave devoted considerable time to learning to play the game.

On the other hand, the complexities and virtually unlimited combinationsof moves and situations possible can sustain ones interest over longperiods of time. In an effort to make the game more interesting variousproposals have been made for playing of the game of chess by more thantwo persons. However, such proposals have invariably increased thecomplexity of the game and have never met with any degree of popularity.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to providea four-player chess game played upon a conventional game board.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a four-playerchess game which incorporates all the interest of a conventional chessgame but which provides more entertainment.

The objects of the present invention are achieved and the disadvantagesof the prior art as described above are eliminated by the presentinvention. The present invention essentially comprises a four-playerchess game consisting of a chessboard and first and second sets ofchessmen. Each set of chessmen is divided into halves to define fourhalfsets. Each half-set of chessmen has a different visual indicia, suchas color, thereon and each half-set is controlled by one player. Thepieces of each half-set are movable over the entire board. Thechessboard is conventional in that it comprises 64 squares. The twoplayers having the half-sets of one set of chessmen comprise a team andmake their moves in accordance with certain rules in addition to theconventional rules of chess.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentupon reference to the accompanying description when taken in conjunctionwith the following drawings, which are exemplary, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a chessboard'having sets of chessmenthereon according to the present invention with the chessmen beingindicated by conventional symbols and lined for different colors; and

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a checker game with checkers lined fordifferent colors.

Proceeding next to the drawings wherein like reference symbols indicatethe same parts throughout the various views a specific embodiment of thepresent invention will be described in detail.

As may be seen in FIG. I, a conventional chessboard is indicatedgenerally at and comprises alternating shaded squares 11 and clearsquares 12 arranged toexample, as the conventional red and black squaresused on chessboards or any other combination of contrasting shadings orcolorings.

Positioned on one end of the board is a first set of chessmen l3 and onthe opposite end of the board a second set of chessmen 14. Each set ofchessmen is conventional and the individual pieces are positionedaccording to the rules of chess with the Pawns constituting a front row15 and the other pieces positioned according to the symbolsconventionally used therefor.

Each set of chessmen is divided in half to form the half-sets 16, 17 onone end of the board and the halfsets 18, 19 at the other end of theboard. The half-set 16 which contains the King is known as the Kings menand the other half-set containing the Queen is known as the Queens men.These two half-sets are considered as separate halves of one partnershipor team of players.

Each of the half-sets 16-19 is provided with a different color to formin effect four separate teams. The particular colors employed areimmaterial but the colors should be contrasting and form a pleasingpattern when considered with the colors of the squares of the gameboard.

Each player controls a half-set of chessmen with the two players at eachrespective end of the board constituting a team and playing togetheraccording to a few rules which are superimposed upon the conventionalrules for chess.

The teammates or players at an end of the board, such as players l6, l7and the opposing team 18, 19, are not allowed to consult on moves. Eachpartner must move in anticipation of his or her partners move withoutany discussion. Should there be any advice or discussion by one partnerto another the game is automatically forfeited to the opposing team.

Each team of two players makes two moves in succession which constitutesone turn. The Kings men always makes the first move in each turn.However, the team which makes the first move of the game is allowed onlyone move which is made by the Kings men. Each player may move only thoseeight men under his or her command, with the following exception: A Kingin check may have the option of moving any of the Queens men instead ofhis own. This constitutes a Kings men move and the King is not requiredto break the check with this move. Also, a King may move Queens Rook inorder to Castle.

No one piece may be moved more than once in each turn. If a King incheck moves one of the Queens men that same man may not be moved againby the Queens men player until the next turn.

Any player may exercise the option to pass and move none of his menexcept that only one pass per turn is allowed and that both players of ateam may not pass in succession. If, for example, all of the Queens menare lost, that team has lost its option to pass and the Kings men playermakes only one move per turn for the remainder of the game.

A King in check may not make a move that is also in check, even thoughthe Queens men could break that same check during the same turn. TheKing is only allowed to either remain in check, thus requiring theQueens men to break the check, or to move out of check.

Should any Pawn reach the first row of the opposing team it may beconverted into any piece of either Kings men or Queens men. For example,a Queens Pawn reaching the first row of Kings men can be converted intothe Queen of the Kings men or any other piece of the same team exceptfor a second King.

As in the conventional game of chess, the game is ended when either teamcannot move out or break a check in one turn.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the present concept can also be incorporatedin the conventional game of checkers which is then played by fourplayers making the conventional checker moves and taking turns asdescribed above. For purposes of identification each halfset of checkers-23 is coloreddifferently in order that the four half-sets may bereadily identifiable to the respective players. The game is played on aconventional checkerboard 24.

Thus it can be seen that the present invention has disclosed afour-player chess game which is played by the conventional rules but ismore entertaining since the partners on a team must try to anticipatethe moves of the respective partners. Thus, the element of skill issomewhat reduced and chance is introduced which adds considerably to theexcitement of the game. Since the game is played according toconventional rules no time is required to learn the rules of thisparticular game and anyone who has familiarity with the conventionalrules of chess can sit down and play this fourplayer game without anyparticular training or study.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions, andaccordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A four-player chess game comprising a chessboard, first and secondsets of chessmen, each set of chessmen being divided in half to define aKing half-set which comprises four Pawns, a Bishop, Knight and Rook anda Queen half-set comprising four Pawns, a Bishop, Knight and Rook, eachhalf-set of chessmen having a different visual indicia thereon, thepieces of each half-set being movable over the entire board.

2. A four-player chess game as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidchessboard has 64 squares.

3. A four-player chess game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said visualindicia are colors.

1. A four-player chess game comprising a chessboard, first and secondsets of chessmen, each set of chessmen being divided in half to define aKing half-set which comprises four Pawns, a Bishop, Knight and Rook anda Queen half-set comprising four Pawns, a Bishop, Knight and Rook, eachhalf-set of chessmen having a different visual indicia thereon, thepieces of each half-set being movable over the entire board.
 2. Afour-player chess game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said chessboard has64 squares.
 3. A four-player chess game as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid visual indicia are colors.